All At Once
by McMaryShepherd
Summary: Meredith and Derek are Seattle Grace's most perfect couple. But it just may all fall apart with a new job offer that could endanger their life together, jealousy, new friends and a secret someone tried hard to hide. MD
1. Date Night

**A/N: This is my first Grey's fanfic, and okay, so, I know this chapter is painfully short and with no plot at all, but I swear, there is a plot! lol. The next chapter will be longer, and will introduce some elements of the main plot. For now this is just filler, explaining how great Mer and Der have it right now. ) Oh, and I do not own Grey's Anatomy. If I did, it would come on every day of the week. But it does not.**

The funny thing about hospitals was that it had that distinct, sterilized scent about it, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't get it off you when you went home. So everywhere you went, you smelled like a hospital. It was a fact of life.

A fact that Meredith Grey had to deal with every day. Even when she was getting ready for a date.

She sat at her vanity, her hair smelling perfectly like lavender, and her dress smelling perfectly like the spring fresh detergent she used, but her skin still smelled like hospital disinfectant. Her nose wrinkled up as she sniffed her arm experimentally, and she frowned. For once in her life, couldn't the hospital smell just disappear?

It was her first real date with Derek in a long while tonight. Sure, they practically lived together now, but hadn't been on an official date in months. Derek had taken matters into his own hands, and arranged something. Well, Meredith didn't like surprises. But she figured she'd put up with this one. After all, she did love him. Wasn't that cause for some sacrifices?

Spraying a little more perfume, finally satisfied with the way her skin smelled, Meredith smoothed her honey-blonde hair down, adjusted her heels, and walked downstairs to wait for Derek. He had insisted on driving out to his trailer to get ready, so that he could pick her up as though he didn't live at her house twenty-four seven. She had rolled her eyes, but had complied, since obviously he felt the need to be corny. Another sacrifice she made, putting up with his bad puns and old-fashioned traditions.

Her heels alerted Cristina and Izzie to her presence in the kitchen, and they looked up from their brownies. Cristina quirked an eyebrow at her, glancing at her watch. "Isn't McDreamy like…4 minutes late?" She asked with a straight face, though Meredith snorted.

"You're keeping track? Someone would think he's your boyfriend," She said, not mentioning the fact that she had kept track in her head, too. Izzie looked bored with the conversation already.

"Seriously, Mer? You two are like…always together. What's this date thing all about anyway?" She asked in a jumble of words, brownie shoved in her mouth. Meredith wrinkled her nose in obvious distaste at Izzie's eating habits.

"We want a night alone, thank you very much, because we never get that," Meredith told her, shooing a pointed look her way. Izzie had the grace to blush and look down, remembering all the times she had walked in on Derek and Meredith in the throes of passion.

"What, so you're going out to have hot sex all night? Wear your teddy, then, he'd like that," Cristina joked, earning a slap over the head from Meredith. "Shut up Cristina," She told her. "You do not get to know about my sex life. Or my teddies," She added, pouring a glass of water. Izzie picked up her brownie.

"I'm leaving. Before you two get all Golden Girls on me and talk about all the sex you're missing," She told them, walking out of the kitchen. Cristina smirked at Meredith. "Someone's not getting any," She said cheerily, but Izzie was already up the stairs.

The doorbell sounded, and Meredith set down her water, glancing at Cristina. "Okay Cristina, out of my kitchen. I'm off to have some hot sex," She said with a smile, walking towards the door. In answer, Cristina stuck her tongue out at Meredith's retreating form, and proceeded to stuff the rest of her brownie in her mouth.

Meredith opened the door to find Derek, looking very handsome and refined in his casual suit. Meredith smiled slowly at him, stepping outside next to him so she could shut the door and lock it with her keys. When she was done with that, Derek grabbed her suddenly around the waist and kissed her deeply, his mouth melding to hers. Meredith pulled away breathless a few moments later, and put a hand on her racing heart.

"Let's hurry up with this date so we can get back to that part, yeah?" Meredith asked, kissing his smiling lips quickly before pulling him by the hand to his car. He helped her in and then got in himself, putting in carefully into reverse, and a minute later they were off.

"So where are we going?" Meredith asked slyly, hoping he'd answer her this time. Derek had been mysteriously silent all through the week when he had planned this. He just grinned his McDreamy grin at her.

"Patience, Mer, patience. You'll love it, I promise," He told her confidently, turning his bright blue eyes back to the road. Meredith pouted.

"But how do you know? I've never been a girl for surprises," She informed him. He had the gall to smile at her again, like that would solve everything. With a good-natured huff, she slouched in the seat, pretending to ignore the hand he laid on her knee, when really all she could think about was how her skin felt like fire where he touched her.

'No! Bad Meredith! You're mad, you don't like surprises,' She told herself, looking out the window, trying hard to ignore him. But it became too much when the hand that rested on her knee began tracing aimless patterns. Sighing, she sat up, rolled her eyes at his triumphant look, and took his hand, lacing his fingers with hers. Maybe she could handle one surprise.

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The drive was a bit longer than Meredith had expected, but she laughed in irony and delight when Derek pulled up to the ferryboat docks, parked and helped her out of the car. Her eyes sparkled with delight, little did she know was a sight that took Derek's breath away, and turned to him excitedly.

"I can't believe you!" She said, thwacking him lightly on the shoulder, him pretending to cringe in pain. "You planned this..." She said in awe, staring at the little restaurant twinkling with lights.

They had come here before, once, before Addison. It had started out as lunch, Derek being a kind boss and taking her here since she didn't want to be stuck with lousy cafeteria food. Until she realized that her idea of a lunch between friends wasn't the same as his. His smirk had told her that he thought it was a date. Nonetheless, she stuck around, admiring the beautiful view of the water and the lively atmosphere of the restaurant. She had dubbed it 'their place'. She had never imagined them coming here again.

Smiling an indulgent smile, Derek just took her hand and led her towards it, pulling her close to him and wrapping an arm around her waist, nuzzling her neck. Meredith grinned, but said nothing.

Inside was a very comfortable restaurant, with hardwood floors, cozy booths and bright, warm colors on the walls. The people were friendly, and there weren't many customers, so Meredith and Derek got a booth near the back, where the best view of the ferryboats was.

With a happy sigh, Meredith settled into the booth across from Derek, giggling when his foot rubbed against hers diliberately. She looked up to see him grinning devilishly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Derek, this is dinner. We came to eat...remember?" She said with a raised eyebrow, watching his expression turn to one of wry acceptance. He stuck his tongue out at her playfully, winking, and she giggled again. God. She hadn't giggled since she was like a senior in high school.

"Dinner is overrated," Derek said suddenly, his eyes pursuing the menu. "Wish we could skip straight to dessert," He added with a smirk at her. Her face flushed. Oh, she wished they could too.

"Shut up," She laughed, folding her menu and laying it off to the side. Derek just shook his head and smirked even wider, causing Meredith to kick him under the table.

Once they had placed their orders they sat and talked, about Derek's aspiration to become Chief, about Meredith's upcoming residency and about anything and everything they could think of. As Meredith ate, she kept glancing at Derek, and he kept her laughing. She'd never find anyone better for her, she knew.

Once they were done, they set out for home again, knowing Izzie had gone to stay with Cristina, on the expectation that when Derek and Meredith got home they'd be making a lot of noise.

They were right of course.

Meredith stepped through the door to her house, closing it behind her after Derek had come in, and found herself looking into his deep blue eyes when she turned around. Smiling, she slipped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips, and what started out innocently quickly became passionate and hungry, and before she knew it, Meredith was stumbling up the stairs after Derek, and then she was sprawled under Derek on her bed, most of their clothes gone. What happened next was a blissful few moments shared between two people who loved each other.

**Please read and review! **


	2. Absolutely Big Descision

The next morning, Meredith woke up feeling blissfully sated from the hours of love-making she and Derek had shared, but also annoyance at the small, buzzing alarm clock next to her. She rolled over in Derek's arms, burying her head in his chest. He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that vibrated against her cheek. She smiled.

"That alarm isn't just there for decoration, Mer," Derek said with a laugh, pressing his lips to the top of her head, breathing in the lavender scent he loved so much. Meredith just made a nonchalant noise and snuggled closer to him.

"Seriously, Mer," He said in a warning voice, but smiling. He tickled her sides lightly, fingers warm against her bare flesh. She squirmed in his grasp, holding back a giggle. As his tickling got more persistent, she finally laughed and pushed him off of her playfully. She smirked, standing up, stretching and walking over to the bathroom. She could feel his eyes following her, burning with desire. Well, she'd show him that Meredith Grey was not a morning person.

As she entered the bathroom and started the shower, she heard him approach, and step to meet him at the door. She kissed him long and hard, pouring passion into every moment. When she pulled away, he looked at her intensely.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked seductively, trailing his hands along her sides. And as much as she wanted to give in, she had a game to play here.

"Seriously, Derek," Was all she said, smirking as his eyes widened when she stepped back, shut the door and locked it behind her.

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At Seattle Grace, Derek and Meredith kissed and parted ways, Meredith headed for the intern locker room and Derek for his office. The day guaranteed to be long, what with the slow start Meredith had gotten to the morning. Today she was flying solo on a surgery, in preparation for her upcoming residency, and she was nervous. It was't a particularly hard procedure, but she was nervous all the same. This time there would be no one to show her how to do it.

Entering the locker room, she found Izzie, Cristina and George already there. "Where's Alex?" Meredith asked with a puzzled expression, opening her locker and pulling out her scrubs.

"That's what we were wondering," Izzie stated, pulling her curly blonde hair up. "I mean, he's usually here before all of us," She said.

Cristina shrugged unenthusiastically. "Who cares where Evil Spawn is?" She said, not noticing Izzie's death glare and Meredith's exasperated look as she said it. "I have my first solo surgery today. And it will be better than Meredith's," She said with a wry grin, tieing her shoes. Meredith glared at her friend.

"Thanks Cristina," She said sarcastically. "That inspires so much confidence in me," She said with a roll of her eyes. Pulling her scrubs on, she tied her shoes quickly, pulled her hair up and meandered to the door. "See ya on the floor!" She called to them, smiling at the nonchalant response she got back.

Once out in the hall, Meredith made for the nurses station to pick up some charts, when she saw a familiar figure stumbling towards her.

"Alex?" She asked incredulously, taking in his disheveled appearance. His eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed, with bags underneath. He looked tired and worn out, and reeked of alcohol.

"'Lo Meredith," He said groggily. "Had a bit to drink last night..." he said, swaying slightly on the spot. Meredith gripped his arm.

"Come on, we're getting you coffee," She said, and took him to the intern locker room. Everyone had left, but she poured him coffee and sat him on a bench. She looked at him worriedly. He was so obviously hungover, and the bad kind of hungover, too. As he sipped the steaming coffee, Meredith paged Bailey.

"Where were you last night, Alex?" She asked him tersely, unable to believe that he had gone out and gotten himself drunk again. This was about the third time this week, but never before had he come into the hospital, and never before had he looked this bad.

Alex shrugged. "Well…somewhere warm," He said, muttering. Meredith sighed. "And it was really bright and shiny and…I don't know," He breathed, taking large gulps of the coffee, and then recoiling when the acidic liquid burned the back of his throat. Meredith stood.

"Look Alex…you're obviously in some trouble…Bailey will be here soon, okay?" She asked, moving toward the door. "I can't deal with you right now, because I have a job to do, but…you me and Izzie will talk later," She said, before opening the door and walking out, feeling very confused and like something was very not right.

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Derek sat in his pristine office, desk devoid of papers, save for a stack of charts next to him. His brow was furrowed as he stared at the computer screen, and he typed every once in awhile, hunching over the keyboard. Stealing a glance at his watch, he saw it was almost time for his lunch break, and for that he was glad. He hadn't seen Meredith since earlier that morning, and he knew she had done her first solo surgery about an hour ago, and was eager to see how she had done.

Suddenly the shrill ringing of his phone made Derek jump, and he grabbed it on the second ring. "Hello?" He spoke into the receiver, wondering who could be calling. He didn't normally get many calls to his office, he was usually just paged.

"Dr. Derek Shepherd?" A deep, male voice said on the other end, and Derek frowned. It didn't sound like anyone he knew.

"This is he. May I ask who's calling?" He asked politely, leaning back in his chair, cradling the phone between his shoulder and head.

"Dr. Shepherd, this is Dr. Harvey Wilmot, from the Manhattan Medical Center," He said in a no-nonsense tone of voice. "I'm calling to see if you would accept the job of Chief of Surgery here at MMC," He said. Derek's jaw dropped.

Chief of Surgery at MMC? Derek had interned there with Mark and Addison when he had been fresh out of medical school, and he had loved working there. Chief of Surgery was something he had always wanted, but he had been hoping to get it here in Seattle. With Richard's words to him, though, he had begun to believe he'd never get it here. So why shouldn't he take the job at MMC?

But Meredith…

"Some of my colleagues have spoken great words about your internship here, Dr. Shepherd," Dr. Wilmot continued. "The position is open, and no one here has really been clamoring for the job. Many doctors recommended you, and I was calling just to see if you're interested…" He said, his voice sounding uncertain at Derek's silence.

Emotions clamored through Derek. He wanted badly to be Chief, and MMC was a great teaching hospital. He did miss New York, even if some of the memories there weren't pleasant. But Seattle was his life right now. He had friends here, a wonderful job, and most importantly, Meredith. The love of his life. How could he leave everything?

"Dr. Wilmot…" He started, pausing. "I was just wondering…my girlfriend, Dr. Meredith Grey, she's an intern here at SGH and…she's very talented…I…the only way I could take this job is if she went with me," Derek said in a near-whisper, hoping the man understood just how much Meredith meant to him. He heard him sigh.

"Luck may have it, Dr. Shepherd, an intern position was just opened this morning," He said through the phone. "I don't really approve of this…but…we would like you here as Chief," He said. "We guarantee Dr. Grey a spot," He assured him. "Will you take the job?" He asked. Derek paused.

"I…yes," he conceded, running a hand through his hair. "I'll take the job," He said.

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Meredith practically skipped into the cafeteria, a wide smile on her face, almost glowing. She was on an amazing surgical high. Her first solo surgery had gone perfectly, and the doctors supervising her had praised her for many minutes afterward. Meredith felt like she could fly.

Getting herself a salad and a Diet Coke, she sat down next to a moody looking Cristina and a very calm George. She looked back and forth between them for a moment.

"Where's Izzie?" She asked, looking at them both. Cristina rested her head in one hand while she picked at her lunch with the other. George chewed his burger quietly, looking thoughtful. Cristina finally looked up.

"We found out what happened to Alex," She said. "Izzie's off someplace. Crying, I expect," She said. "And my solo didn't go very well," She said, looking depressed.

"What happened to Alex?" Meredith asked, frowning. She knew Izzie and Alex had been dating for a few weeks, so she knew for Izzie to be off crying and not comforting her boyfriend, well, something was really wrong.

"He got drunk last night," George stated. Meredith rolled her eyes at the obviousness. "No, wait for it," He said, noticing her look. "He got drunk, because he found out last night that he got some random girl pregnant two weeks ago," He said. Meredith's eyes widened.

"Seriously?" She asked incredulously. "Poor Izzie," She said sadly. Looking between her two friends, she saw no emotion flicker past them. She stood up.

"You guys are depressing me," She sighed. "And I'm happy right now, so don't do that," She said, and she was just looking around for a place to sit when she spotted Derek. Grinning, she rushed to sit across from him.

"Hey," She said, smile still on her face as she bumped her foot with his. Derek gave a small smile.

"Hey Mer," He said, sounding relieved to see her and unhappy to see her all at once. She frowned.

"Don't tell me you're being all dark and twisty today, too," She said exasperatedly. "I just had to escape it," She told him, gesturing to Cristina and George, who still sat glumly at the table.

Derek let out a breath. "Mer, it's just…there's something I sort of have to tell you," He said in a very insecure, un-Derek like voice. Meredith looked at him worriedly, but said nothing. He paused for a moment, then looked at her, blue eyes locking with green.

"I took a Chief job in New York, Mer," He said. "And you're coming with me."


	3. Because I Love You

**A/N: Not the best chapter I've ever written, but an update! Sorry it took me so long for this…I've been very busy with end of the year school stuff, and so distracted by Grey's. Honestly, if I owned Grey's, the finale would not have been the huge pile of crap it was.**

Meredith could swear the world stopped for just a moment, and all she could do was open and close her mouth like a fish, wanting to say something, but not actually having the ability to do it.

"I…what?" She asked incredulously, hoping she hadn't heard him right. There was desperation clawing in her chest, and she needed to know that this was all one big misunderstanding.

Derek looked back at her with apologetic eyes, and she knew he wasn't joking.

"Look, Mer, I…we don't actually have to go," He said sheepishly, glancing up at her every so often, then averting his eyes as if he were afraid of her. "I mean, I said yes so they'd hold the position and I could ask you, I mean, one word from you and it's off, but…" He trailed off.

"What position?" Meredith cried, confused. "I don't even know what you're talking about, Derek," She said faintly, looking him square in the eye.

"Well, Manhattan Medical Center offered me the position of Chief of Surgery there," He said, more calm than he had been moments ago. When Meredith continued to look confused, he kept going. "That's where I did my internship and residency. Apparently they needed a new Chief, and I got high recommendations," He said, sounding proud for a moment. "So I told them I'd take it, only if you got an intern position there. They said yes, and I accepted, but only so they'd hold it while I talked it over with you…I never would have…" He finished, leaving the end of the sentence open again. He seemed desperate to make her understand, and she did. Really, she had been mad and confused, but…she understood.

Sighing, she looked at him. "I get it, Derek," She told him truthfully. "I was mad at first…but I get it now. But I…I'm going to need some time to make a decision like this, Derek," She said softly. "Because Seattle has been my only real home for awhile," She reminded him, her eyes now trained on her hands sitting idle on the tabletop. Derek leaned over to grab one, linking his fingers with hers.

"Take all the time you need, Mer," He said with a small smile, and, with apologies written in his eyes, he stood up, pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and walked out of the cafeteria, leaving Meredith a quivering, confused mess at the lonely table.

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When Derek got back to his office, he felt like shit. He had just crossed a line, he knew, by making a decision for Meredith, and if he could take it back, he wouldn't hesitate. He should know better by now not to hurt her, after all they had been through, but especially her. He should know better not to do things like that, but his mind…his mind was always jumping ahead.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he leaned back in his chair, figuring that maybe, he just wasn't destined to be Chief. Here, or anywhere. But if he had to give that up for Meredith…he'd do it in a heartbeat.

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Meredith somehow managed to make it back to the hallways of the hospital, though she felt like she was walking in a daze. Bailey made her go back to the pit, where she was stuck with sutures and rectal exams, but she felt like she was just going through the motions. Her mind, however, was on Derek and his pending job offer.

Why hadn't he just told them he'd have to think about it, and not accepted it just like that? And for her too. He knew damn well that Meredith was a fiercely independent person, and he had ignored that. She wasn't mad anymore, really, since she got his reasoning. It was just that…she didn't see what the appeal was of leaving their home and starting over somewhere new.

But even while that was bugging her, Meredith couldn't admit that that was the real reason she was so wary.

Truth was, all she could think about was how they'd be going to MMC. Where Derek first met Addison. They'd go back to New York. Where Derek married and lived with Addison for 11 years.

And as she thought about that, she realized…could she really trust him to put all that behind him, like he did here? Could she really trust him to stay with her, when there were so many new women so very much like Addison in the city? Could she leave behind her abandonment issues? She wasn't sure if she could.

Because as much as she knew Derek loved her, she wasn't quite sure it was enough.

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As soon as his shift ended, Derek took the elevator down to the lobby, realizing he'd miss the Seattle Grace elevators, were he to leave. So many memories, and he'd only been here a little over a year. And it was only when the elevator stopped did he realize he was already missing an elevator.

Shaking his head, he sat down in a lone chair, the hard plastic cutting into his back, but he didn't care. He pulled out his laptop and tried to read an article, but he ended up reading the same paragraph over and over. All he could think about was Meredith.

How was she? How was she taking the news? He knew he had messed up, making a life-altering decision like that without her. And really…he didn't blame her anger. He'd be mad too. But the fact was, Meredith had already been through so much…did he really want to hurt her again, by tearing her away from the one place she had ever truly felt at home in? No, he didn't.

And then he knew what he had to do.

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The day had been long, and Meredith had been distracted. She had gotten a lecture from Bailey for slacking off, but she wasn't in the mood to care. All her thoughts were occupied by Derek and his impending job offer.

She didn't want to leave Seattle. She didn't want to leave the only friends she had, the only friends who had ever fully supported her. She didn't want to leave the place that had come to feel more like home than anywhere else had.

But she didn't want Derek to be miserable without a Chief job.

Was it worth it? Giving up her home so Derek could have his dream job? And she knew. She knew what the answer was. Of course it was worth it, because she loved him.

And then she knew what she had to do.

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As her shift ended, a tense knot of nervousness grew in her stomach at what she was going to say to Derek. She knew she had to make this small sacrifice, for Derek, and she knew if she didn't…well, if she didn't he might leave. Just like everyone else. And if he left her…she'd never be the same.

Entering the lobby, she found Derek slumped in a chair, eyes glued to his laptop, scowling. There were lines creasing his brow, and exhaustion hung under his eyes. Her heart melted. She couldn't stand to see him like this.

"You know, those chairs aren't very comfortable," Meredith said with a small smile as she sat beside him. Derek started abruptly, but relaxed when he saw it was her. His eyes were guarded though, as if suddenly afraid of every mood she made, and she sighed. He shouldn't be like this around her, and yet, for some reason, he was.

"Look, Derek…here's the thing," She started. "No, don't interrupt," She said as she saw him begin to protest. "I don't want to leave Seattle," She continued. "I don't. It's more like home than anywhere else. And my friends are here, you know, the only family I've ever really had. But you're my family too, and I need you…and if moving to New York to get the Chief job is what you want to do, then I say yes, we'll move to New York. Because it's for you, and I love you, Derek," She said, fidgeting with the sleeve of her coat now that her speech had ended, too nervous to look him in the eye. Then she felt a warm hand on her cheek, and looked up to see Derek, tears shining in his brilliant blue eyes.

"You're sure, Mer?" He asked, voice almost trembling with emotion, his eyes raw with feeling now, no longer guarded. "Because I don't want to force you into this, we don't have to…" He trailed off, stopping at her exasperated look.

"I said yes, Derek," She told him with a small smile, placing a kiss to his lips. "I said yes, we'll move to New York."


	4. Plane Ride

"Derek? Have you seen my suitcase?" Meredith cried, panicked, her hazel eyes searching the empty bedroom for any sign of her large suitcase. Derek had insisted she not bring such a large bag, but Meredith was a girl, after all, and a worrier. She always packed extra.

But now her bag was nowhere to be found, and Meredith internally fretted. How could they move to New York like this, all of a sudden? They'd had barely a week to pack up everything they owned and move it across the country. The perfectionalist in Meredith stressed that, too.

But they had made the decision, and now it was done. Derek had worked out a contract with MMC, their belongings had been packed up and sent away in moving trucks the day before, and now here they were, almost ready to catch their flight to New York. A city Meredith had never even set foot in.

Jerked from her thoughts by the sound of footsteps, Meredith turned to see Derek in the doorway, lugging her large green suitcase along with his smaller black one. She grinned and relaxed. The bag was located. Everything was okay.

Derek took two long steps toward her and suddenly she was gathered in his arms, her face pressed against his chest, her arms around his neck, and his hands on her waist. He seemed to just be comforting her, seemingly waiting for the moment when she would talk first.

She took a deep breath. "I'm gonna miss this place," She admitted quietly, her eyes scanning the barren bedroom where she and Derek had spent so many nights together. Where their bed had sat, where their dresser had been. Theirs. Their first stuff. And now it was on its way to New York in the back of an old U-Haul.

She felt Derek nod against her head, his lips pressing soothingly against the top of her head. He understood. Even if he wasn't going to miss Seattle quite in the same way she did, he understood. That she knew.

"I know. And I am too. And I know…I know this was your home, and I'm sorry," He told her in a quiet murmur, his chest rumbling with the movement of talking. Meredith shook her head emphatically.

"Derek, we've talked about this," She said, pulling back a bit to meet his gaze. His blue eyes were clouded with an emotion she didn't recognize. Regret, possibly? "You asked me to make the choice and I did. We're moving to New York, and that's final," She said firmly, her eyes soft.

He nodded, the look in his eyes fading as he looked at her with a look of adoration. Then, before she knew it he had cupped her face in his hands and met her lips with his in a sweetly fiery kiss. She relaxed into it, her fingers curling around the base of his neck, his skin warm against hers. The feeling of his lips on hers was maddening, but the kiss was slow, sweet. Perfect.

When the need for oxygen became too great, Meredith pulled away, breathing a bit faster than she had been before, heart racing. What a wonderful way to say goodbye to her former home.

"Come on, Mer," Derek coaxed her softly. "Let's go."

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The drive to the airport was spent in comfortable silence, happiness on both counterparts in realizing that they finally communicated everything. That they knew exactly where the other stood in this whole matter. And really, that was what they had both wanted all along.

Meredith's friends had decided to say good-bye to them at the airport, Izzie figuring it wasn't a proper sendoff without being there. But by the tears that had gathered in her eyes, Meredith knew any sendoff, proper or not, would be hard enough for all of them as it was.

The airport was slow today, and the lines went quick, and it wasn't long before Meredith and Derek were seated, across from Izzie, Cristina, Alex, George, and even Mark. They all sat quietly, as if almost afraid to break the silence, and only the reassuring pressure of Derek's hand against hers helped Meredith calm down, her nerves already frazzled.

When the voice over the intercom called for them to board, Meredith and Derek stood, and the others stood apprehensively, all shuffling their feet before surprisingly, Cristina was the first to move and embrace Meredith tightly. No tears were apparent in her eyes, but if Meredith knew her friend, she was using every ounce of willpower she had not to cry. But Cristina Yang didn't cry.

After her hug, Izzie stepped up, already crying, Meredith soothing her. George was next, with a surprisingly long hug and a kiss on the cheek. Meredith smiled sadly at him, knowing this was harder for him than he let on, too.

Alex hugged her as well, telling her she'd do fine with big city life. She just laughed, a tear somehow finding it's way down her cheek as the only family she'd ever known wished her well in her new life.

Finally Mark stepped up, hugging her tightly before whispering, "Don't forget the Dirty Mistress' club, alright?" He said with a smirk, and Meredith just cried harder, memories flooding her mind.

They all said goodbye to Derek too, Izzie hugging him, Alex, George and Mark clapping him on the back and wishing him good luck. Cristina just nodded, but at least it wasn't unfriendly. It warmed Meredith's heart to see her friends finally accepting Derek. But just as they were about to leave.

Finally they had to board, and joining her hand with Derek's, Meredith walked off in the direction of the plane, watching her mismatched family slowly become smaller until she could no longer see them.

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Once on the plane, Meredith and Derek loaded their stuff and sat down, Meredith's hand gripping his tightly, biting her lip and moving her feet agitatedly. Derek smiled. "Are you scared of flying, Mer?" He asked reasonably, stroking her palm with his thumb. She seemed to relax at that.

"A little," She admitted, not meeting his gaze. "The last time I was on a plane, my mom and I were moving to Boston, and my dad had just left us. I was convinced I was going to die on the plane, I mean, I was five. I don't know…ever since then…no good memories with planes," Meredith told him, moving to lean her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair with his free hand.

"Don't worry, Mer. I'm here," He told her, and the open intensity in his voice brought tears to her eyes. Her gaze met his, and she found it full of love. "Thank you," Was all she could say, her head staying on his shoulder, gripping his hand when they took off, and slowly relaxing in his as the climbed higher, on the way to the start of something new in New York City.

**A/N: Well, the leaving! I know this is a little short, but I just wanted to get their leaving out of the way. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. But I hope you enjoy.**

**Read it. Review it. Whatever. :)**


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